Vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) may be equipped with hand-operated controls which enable disabled drivers such as paraplegics to operate the vehicles without the need to depress accelerator and brake pedals with the foot. However, conventional controls for disabled drivers may require cumbersome mechanical connections between the user interface and the accelerator pedal, brake pedal and other elements of the vehicle which are to be controlled. These mechanical connections may require an expensive modification to the vehicle as well as interfere with the ability of non-disabled persons to operate the vehicle.
Therefore, a by-wire vehicle control system which can be readily connected to a vehicle controller to facilitate operation of a vehicle by a disabled driver and disconnected from the vehicle controller when not in use is needed.